Upasana Makati,The Visionary Behind White Print 

‘I got a thought about how would the day start for those who could not see. What would they be reading?’ With this thought,  a visionary was born in Upasana Makati. She researched, quit her job and drew inspiration from challenges and White Print, India’s first lifestyle magazine in Braille, for the visually impaired, was born in collaboration with the National Association For The Blind ( NAB) in Mumbai.

We are lucky to have Upasana Makati, Founder Editor and Publisher of White Print in conversation with BananiVista.

BV: White Print turned four this year. How far have you come from the year it was born? Share the most exciting as well as the most challenging happening.

Upasana Makati: White Print  is the first of its kind with no examples to follow. We have been making our own path and exploring different avenues. There are no restrictions, or rights and wrongs. White print is still a one person organization that made it to the Forbes India 30 Under 30 list in 2016 and the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in 2017. Things have become better but not easier in the last few years. Funds have been and still are the greatest challenge. We are not a registered NGO. White Print is a,’For Profit’ business so the challenge lies in convincing the corporates to advertise for White Print.

Corporates like Tata India, Vodafone, Airtel,  Coca Cola India, Pidilite group  are our advertising partners. Coca-Cola India’s musical ad for the first issue, played a song each time a reader opened the centre spread.

BV: Tell us something about B for Braille and how did it help in spreading awareness about White Print? 

B for Braille is a 5 minute music film to promote Braille literacy in the country. Through the film we want to stir up conversation and bring matters of Braille back in mainstream. It is poised to become the Braille anthem of India.

The Braille Anthem For India

BV: You question the need for unnecessary belittling and donations as the visually impaired community is equally talented. How do your readers respond to this shift or change of thought?

Upasana Makati: We have been dealing with the perception of people more than anything else because till now any product or even a newsletter for the visually impaired had to be for free and when we did our research we found that the community was sick and tired of being sympathized with or for being treated differently. This made us decide that White Print is not going to be an NGO. This is the reason I speak to young children to bring in a change towards creating an inclusive society.

BV: You are essentially a PR professional. Share some tips with budding entrepreneurs who wish to ‘put their best foot forward.’

Upasana Makati: Entrepreneurs need not wait till the time their heads turn grey to enter into social entrepreneurship. Moreover, if you can solve an existing problem in the society or fill the gap in the system and also monetize it, it is wonderful. More and more people need to take that route and younger minds deal with solutions more effectively. Be patient. Don’t give up. As far as PR is concerned,  interesting ideas catch the attention of the media and all concerned. I sent a press release to 200 journalists and within 7 minutes,  I got a call from Mid-Day and our story was published the very next day. With no marketing or advertising budget, media helped in  the growth of White Print.

Upasana Makati At TEDx Youth, DPS Gurgaon

BV: What is Braille-Tactile children’s Book series?

Upasana Makati: After White Print we launched the Braille –Tactile children’s alphabet book series titled Tactabet which is available in Hindi (Rs1800) and English (Rs1000). It uses Poly-Braille Technology that has an advantage over regular Braille that gets damaged with constant pressure. it also facilitates the permanent nature of the Braille dots and tactile outlines. It is being used in many schools in Mumbai, Delhi, Rajasthan, Kolkatta,Odisha, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Tactabet is a fun filled learning and a colourful resource being used for the visually impaired,  children with low vision and multiple disabilities. One of our proof readers who is visually impaired told me that she had to keep a tutor for her sighted children because earlier there were no resources like Tactabet available in the country. The Braille-Tactile- Text feature of the books enables integrated learning for visually impaired parents with sighted children and vice versa.

Hrithik Roshan Launches Tactabet

BV: What do you thank God for before you sleep – people or opportunities? Do you have a spiritual philosophy that guides you?

Upasana Makati: I am a people’s person. I follow and try to practice Rumi very closely. Its all about the connect that you have with people. Opportunities come and go but it is people that I value because they have been such angels in our journey that I can’t thank God enough. Strangers have become a part of the journey of White print and are now great friends. People make everything happen and make opportunities even more enjoyable.

BV: What keeps you going when the weather is rough? Do you have a message for youngsters?

Upasana Makati: Feed back from my readers makes my day. I adore each message and letter that I receive from readers of White Print.

Something I read in Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In stayed with me. “Do not wait for power to be offered. Like that tiara, it might never materialize. And anyway, who wears a tiara on a jungle gym”.

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